Sitting alongside Steven Gerrard during BT Sport’s post-match analysis, the former Gunners defender stated: “Arsenal can’t afford to carry someone like Ozil,” after listing club great’s and how they gave it their all in every game.

“You’re talking about your (Dennis) Bergkamp’s, your (Thierry) Henry’s and your (Patrick) Viera’s – all these guys give you everything in the game… today he (Ozil) wants to have a good look at himself.”

Both player-come-pundits Keown and Gerrard highlighted the World Cup winners’ absence of defensive efforts with the latter concluding: “Arsene Wenger’s got to address it.”

Arsenal now have failed to win back-to-back opening games since the start of the 2009/10 season.

It hasn’t been too rare an occurrence that a former Gunner has criticised Arsenal players and personnel with the club’s fans grimacing in the background but on this occasion, the feeling is most supporters would most likely agree with Keown’s remarks.